Most Popular Baby Names in 1990

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1990. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the top 250 most popular baby names in 1990, with a total count for the number of births registered with that given name.

You can also use the links below to research more about the most popular baby names.

Top 1000 most popular boy names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Top 1000 most popular girl names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Boys Girls
Rank Name Count Name Count
1 Michael 65,302 Jessica 46,483
2 Christopher 52,347 Ashley 45,560
3 Matthew 44,819 Brittany 36,537
4 Joshua 43,221 Amanda 34,409
5 Daniel 33,823 Samantha 25,867
6 David 33,749 Sarah 25,819
7 Andrew 33,663 Stephanie 24,862
8 James 32,356 Jennifer 22,230
9 Justin 30,646 Elizabeth 20,749
10 Joseph 30,128 Lauren 20,507
11 Ryan 29,252 Megan 20,256
12 John 29,085 Emily 19,367
13 Robert 28,877 Nicole 17,956
14 Nicholas 27,915 Kayla 17,538
15 Anthony 25,080 Amber 15,863
16 William 24,901 Rachel 15,705
17 Jonathan 24,076 Courtney 15,379
18 Kyle 22,706 Danielle 14,336
19 Brandon 22,163 Heather 14,219
20 Jacob 22,013 Melissa 13,997
21 Tyler 20,638 Rebecca 13,675
22 Zachary 20,427 Michelle 13,422
23 Kevin 20,411 Tiffany 13,160
24 Eric 19,423 Chelsea 12,783
25 Steven 18,756 Christina 11,926
26 Thomas 18,223 Katherine 11,627
27 Brian 16,932 Alyssa 11,261
28 Alexander 16,191 Jasmine 11,035
29 Jordan 16,133 Laura 10,913
30 Timothy 15,692 Hannah 10,279
31 Cody 15,396 Kimberly 10,192
32 Adam 14,708 Kelsey 9,495
33 Benjamin 14,626 Victoria 9,109
34 Aaron 14,553 Sara 8,977
35 Richard 13,577 Mary 8,669
36 Patrick 12,376 Erica 8,605
37 Sean 12,016 Alexandra 8,506
38 Charles 11,995 Amy 8,462
39 Stephen 11,942 Crystal 8,218
40 Jeremy 11,690 Andrea 8,215
41 Jose 11,514 Kelly 8,136
42 Travis 11,455 Kristen 8,072
43 Jeffrey 10,978 Erin 7,991
44 Nathan 10,938 Brittney 7,428
45 Samuel 10,887 Anna 7,291
46 Jason 10,694 Taylor 7,260
47 Mark 10,685 Maria 7,185
48 Jesse 8,980 Allison 7,133
49 Paul 8,581 Cassandra 7,053
50 Dustin 8,457 Caitlin 7,027
51 Gregory 8,376 Lindsey 6,780
52 Kenneth 8,260 Angela 6,664
53 Scott 8,086 Katie 6,514
54 Derek 8,079 Alicia 6,511
55 Austin 7,912 Jamie 6,510
56 Corey 7,690 Vanessa 6,407
57 Bryan 7,437 Kathryn 6,353
58 Ethan 6,990 Morgan 6,049
59 Alex 6,945 Jordan 5,956
60 Christian 6,778 Whitney 5,904
61 Juan 6,739 Brianna 5,678
62 Cameron 6,665 Christine 5,675
63 Jared 6,641 Natalie 5,636
64 Taylor 6,578 Lisa 5,345
65 Bradley 6,432 Kristin 5,303
66 Luis 5,795 Alexis 5,256
67 Cory 5,767 Jacqueline 5,239
68 Edward 5,744 Shannon 5,189
69 Shawn 5,722 Lindsay 5,039
70 Ian 5,461 Brooke 4,990
71 Evan 5,310 Catherine 4,892
72 Marcus 5,301 Olivia 4,627
73 Shane 5,272 April 4,572
74 Peter 5,220 Erika 4,567
75 Carlos 5,209 Katelyn 4,488
76 Trevor 5,141 Monica 4,452
77 Antonio 4,866 Kristina 4,389
78 Vincent 4,802 Kaitlyn 4,313
79 George 4,568 Paige 4,113
80 Keith 4,481 Molly 3,965
81 Phillip 4,453 Jenna 3,957
82 Victor 4,445 Leah 3,924
83 Dylan 4,413 Julia 3,913
84 Brett 4,392 Bianca 3,827
85 Chad 4,350 Tara 3,824
86 Nathaniel 4,347 Melanie 3,812
87 Donald 4,177 Marissa 3,805
88 Caleb 4,153 Cynthia 3,795
89 Casey 4,132 Holly 3,771
90 Jesus 4,129 Abigail 3,717
91 Blake 4,101 Meghan 3,695
92 Raymond 4,061 Kathleen 3,673
93 Mitchell 4,021 Julie 3,656
94 Joel 4,000 Ariel 3,606
95 Adrian 3,999 Alexandria 3,594
96 Erik 3,950 Veronica 3,587
97 Ronald 3,901 Patricia 3,579
98 Devin 3,862 Diana 3,545
99 Garrett 3,757 Gabrielle 3,541
100 Miguel 3,697 Shelby 3,517
101 Gabriel 3,696 Kaitlin 3,472
102 Seth 3,562 Margaret 3,372
103 Douglas 3,545 Brandi 3,340
104 Logan 3,435 Krystal 3,290
105 Spencer 3,419 Natasha 3,270
106 Derrick 3,363 Casey 3,261
107 Wesley 3,316 Bethany 3,236
108 Johnathan 3,245 Haley 3,199
109 Frank 3,186 Briana 3,067
110 Chase 3,158 Kara 3,036
111 Philip 3,141 Rachael 3,028
112 Lucas 3,088 Miranda 2,960
113 Martin 3,079 Breanna 2,951
114 Gary 3,069 Dana 2,935
115 Francisco 2,932 Leslie 2,828
116 Jorge 2,912 Caroline 2,821
117 Craig 2,909 Kendra 2,788
118 Luke 2,883 Sabrina 2,722
119 Mario 2,823 Angelica 2,717
120 Ricardo 2,802 Karen 2,717
121 Curtis 2,800 Felicia 2,703
122 Colin 2,783 Jillian 2,676
123 Julian 2,700 Brenda 2,633
124 Jonathon 2,668 Ana 2,612
125 Alejandro 2,641 Desiree 2,575
126 Alan 2,640 Meagan 2,530
127 Brent 2,608 Katrina 2,478
128 Troy 2,503 Chelsey 2,447
129 Dennis 2,494 Valerie 2,427
130 Johnny 2,481 Emma 2,419
131 Randy 2,474 Nancy 2,385
132 Isaac 2,427 Alison 2,362
133 Angel 2,406 Monique 2,362
134 Manuel 2,390 Sandra 2,344
135 Oscar 2,327 Alisha 2,343
136 Jeffery 2,321 Britney 2,293
137 Andre 2,295 Brandy 2,263
138 Henry 2,253 Joanna 2,231
139 Colton 2,233 Gina 2,209
140 Jake 2,222 Grace 2,187
141 Allen 2,219 Sierra 2,171
142 Russell 2,215 Candace 2,164
143 Edgar 2,205 Jaclyn 2,155
144 Larry 2,194 Adriana 2,150
145 Carl 2,191 Krista 2,144
146 Jerry 2,185 Alexa 2,131
147 Tony 2,182 Candice 2,117
148 Mathew 2,174 Lacey 2,047
149 Eduardo 2,160 Rebekah 2,043
150 Roberto 2,094 Sydney 2,028
151 Devon 2,058 Nichole 1,992
152 Darius 2,033 Denise 1,956
153 Clayton 2,029 Dominique 1,946
154 Jeremiah 2,006 Ashlee 1,941
155 Brendan 1,996 Anne 1,926
156 Hector 1,987 Yesenia 1,923
157 Javier 1,980 Kirsten 1,869
158 Omar 1,975 Claire 1,860
159 Todd 1,975 Deanna 1,854
160 Drew 1,954 Colleen 1,808
161 Sergio 1,940 Audrey 1,798
162 Danny 1,917 Mallory 1,782
163 Marc 1,901 Carly 1,777
164 Terry 1,894 Tabitha 1,766
165 Kristopher 1,858 Cristina 1,762
166 Jack 1,834 Raven 1,760
167 Albert 1,828 Priscilla 1,754
168 Louis 1,822 Stacey 1,736
169 Bryce 1,817 Carolyn 1,715
170 Edwin 1,815 Carrie 1,708
171 Max 1,791 Kiara 1,690
172 Jimmy 1,786 Susan 1,687
173 Calvin 1,783 Stacy 1,669
174 Lawrence 1,779 Angel 1,662
175 Micheal 1,771 Linda 1,659
176 Ricky 1,759 Mercedes 1,654
177 Ivan 1,748 Autumn 1,652
178 Ruben 1,744 Ashleigh 1,623
179 Fernando 1,731 Kylie 1,614
180 Levi 1,718 Teresa 1,613
181 Rodney 1,709 Gabriela 1,604
182 Grant 1,697 Kelli 1,603
183 Lance 1,697 Caitlyn 1,586
184 Dillon 1,682 Renee 1,573
185 Bobby 1,677 Arielle 1,569
186 Xavier 1,647 Ebony 1,566
187 Nicolas 1,644 Cindy 1,566
188 Dominic 1,627 Justine 1,565
189 Maxwell 1,625 Karina 1,561
190 Ross 1,619 Meredith 1,555
191 Walter 1,614 Bridget 1,547
192 Randall 1,604 Hillary 1,524
193 Dalton 1,572 Daisy 1,521
194 Julio 1,554 Amelia 1,513
195 Dakota 1,550 Mayra 1,503
196 Pedro 1,542 Theresa 1,499
197 Arthur 1,541 Claudia 1,495
198 Preston 1,527 Madeline 1,494
199 Cesar 1,505 Sasha 1,491
200 Darren 1,505 Heidi 1,465
201 Rafael 1,502 Robin 1,414
202 Clinton 1,500 Destiny 1,408
203 Andres 1,498 Madison 1,407
204 Bryant 1,493 Lydia 1,405
205 Isaiah 1,488 Savannah 1,402
206 Maurice 1,488 Wendy 1,398
207 Dominique 1,485 Barbara 1,388
208 Mason 1,478 Melinda 1,381
209 Raul 1,461 Tamara 1,379
210 Joe 1,460 Ellen 1,378
211 Roger 1,457 Alejandra 1,376
212 Lee 1,451 Chloe 1,370
213 Gerald 1,450 Marie 1,341
214 Billy 1,438 Jenny 1,337
215 Jaime 1,435 Virginia 1,335
216 Jon 1,423 Kasey 1,333
217 Jay 1,401 Jocelyn 1,317
218 Emmanuel 1,397 Carmen 1,313
219 Hunter 1,390 Jade 1,312
220 Tanner 1,387 Evelyn 1,302
221 Willie 1,377 Jacquelyn 1,299
222 Connor 1,376 Abby 1,293
223 Erick 1,369 Janet 1,283
224 Alberto 1,353 Martha 1,267
225 Shaun 1,353 Tracy 1,266
226 Marco 1,342 Cortney 1,261
227 Jamie 1,322 Bailey 1,259
228 Noah 1,309 Ariana 1,257
229 Armando 1,287 Cassie 1,253
230 Reginald 1,283 Brittani 1,221
231 Jessie 1,255 Jasmin 1,218
232 Eddie 1,249 Hilary 1,217
233 Theodore 1,232 Kaylee 1,211
234 Zachery 1,228 Cara 1,211
235 Roy 1,226 Adrienne 1,210
236 Terrance 1,224 Allyson 1,198
237 Marvin 1,217 Kristine 1,196
238 Micah 1,180 Pamela 1,194
239 Bruce 1,170 Raquel 1,189
240 Collin 1,169 Tina 1,181
241 Malcolm 1,158 Gloria 1,180
242 Wayne 1,148 Rosa 1,176
243 Elijah 1,140 Camille 1,170
244 Abraham 1,134 Michele 1,164
245 Colby 1,129 Tiara 1,161
246 Darrell 1,128 Tasha 1,154
247 Jamal 1,112 Mackenzie 1,150
248 Geoffrey 1,098 Kristy 1,134
249 Cole 1,097 Ann 1,124
250 Johnathon 1,090 Shawna 1,124

What's in a (Popular) Name?

How do we know which baby names are hot each year? It's simple! The Social Security Administration collects data as parents register their newborns for a Social Security card. So, instead of waiting for the 10-year census, we get an annual update on the trending names!

Popular Baby Names vs. Popular First Names: Any Differences?

If you're wondering why the most popular baby names and the most popular first names aren't the same, remember: first names include everyone, not just babies. With 16.5% of the population over 65, names popular in their generation, like 'Colby' or 'Tasha', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Michael' or 'Jessica' topping the overall popular names list until the Baby Boomer generation decreases significantly.

What Factors Influence Baby Name Popularity?

Ever wondered how a name like 'Joshua' or 'Jennifer' hits the charts? It's not an exact science, but here are some cool factors:

Celebrity Influence

Americans adore their stars! A favorite celeb can influence baby names, so if you see more little 'Matthews' or 'Ashleys' running around, you might have a Hollywood A-lister to thank!

Character-Inspired Names

Bookworms and movie buffs often name their kids after beloved characters. If 'Daniel' or 'Stephanie' sound familiar, check out the latest bestseller or box-office hit!

Following the Trend

We humans are trend-followers. So, if a friend's baby 'David' or 'Elizabeth' has a cute ring to it, don't be surprised if it catches on!

The Power of Recall

Names heard repeatedly stick in our minds. So if 'Joseph' or 'Amanda' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Andrew' or 'Nicole' stand the test of time, thanks to the tradition of naming babies after older relatives.

Religion and Politics

Religious texts and political figures inspire many parents. Evergreen choices like 'James' or 'Sarah' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Justin' or 'Katherine' becomes popular, these factors give us some fun insights into the ever-changing landscape of baby names!

Historical Data for Baby Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names have changed, you can use the links below to view the historical data by decade.

Most popular first names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular boy names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular girl names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Data Source(s)

All of the data on this page is sourced from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and excludes any names with fewer than 5 occurrences in any geographic area.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spent a lot of time downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1990". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 28, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1990/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1990". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1990/. Accessed 28 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 1990. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1990/.